Hame and trace connector.



No. 721,987. V PATENTED M AR. 3, 1903.

U. L. WIEDRICH. v HAME AND TRACE CONNECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 14. 1902.

Z/QVW I v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES L. WIEDRICH, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO U. S. HAME COMPANY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

HAME AND TRACE CONNECTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 721,987, dated March 3, 1903.

Application filed April 14, 1902.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,- CHARLES L. WIEDRICH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Hame and Trace Connectors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a hame and trace connector, in which the hame is provided with a relatively long staple or device with which the cooperating loop or device on the trace or tug is adapted to be detachably engaged and retained at different points, whereby the con nection can be readily adjusted to bring the draft to bear at the proper point to suit a particular or different draft-animal.

The object of the invention is to provide a durable hame and trace connector of simple and inexpensive construction which will afford a considerable range of adjustment and in which the trace loop or device can be quickly and easily shifted and will be effectually prevented from accidental displacement.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a hame, showing a connector embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation thereof, the trace loop or device being removed. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is! transverse section on line at 4, Fig. 1.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the hame, a portion only of" which is shown and which may be of any usual or preferred form and made of any suitable material; B, the loop, hook, or other device with which the front end of the trace or tug is provided or with which it may be engaged, and O the staple or device which is fixed to the hame and with which the trace loop or device is adapted to be adjustablyconnected.

In the construction shown the device B is in the form of a loop provided at its inner end with one or more, preferably two, tongues or hooks b for engagement with the hamestaple. The hame-staple is provided with a long bar D, which is arranged longitudinally parallel with and spaced from the hame, and

Serial No. 102,857. (No model.)

with a web E, which is formed integrally with the bar and extends laterally therefrom at an inclination toward the hame, with its outer longitudinal edge or portion resting on the front face of the hame, so as to brace the staple-bar. The web is provided with a longitudinal series of separated openings e, through which the tongues or hooks b of the trace-loop are inserted to engage the latter with the bar. The portions 2 of the web separating the hook-openings afford supports for retaining the trace-loop in the desired position on the cross-bar. The openings in the staple-Web and the tongues or books in the trace-loop are spaced equal distances apart, so that the tongues can be engaged with the staple-bar through any two adjacent openings of the series, thus enabling the traceloop to be connected with the staple at any desired point.

The staple may be secured to the hame in any preferred manner. As shown, it is provided at or near opposite ends with securing shanks or legs f, which pass through holes in the hame and are held in place by heading the ends of the legs.

9 represents an eye formed at the lower end of the hame-staple for the usual attachingring G for the neck-yoke strap..

H represents an elongated spring plate, which is arranged longitudinally between the hame and the web of the hame-staple. The spring-plate is clamped at its outer longitudinal edge between the hame and the outer edge of the web of the hame-staple. This attachment is supplemented by a stud or pin h,

which is formed centrally on the outer por-.

tion of the staple-web and projects through a hole in the spring-plate into the body of the hame, and by teeth or spurs h, which are punched out from the metalof the spring adjacent to the ends thereof and are driven into the hame. The inner longitudinal edge of the spring-plate is free for its entire length and stands normally parallel with and ata distance from the cross-bar of the staple somewhat less than the thickness of the attaching tongues or hooks of the trace-loop, so thatin engaging the latter with the cross-bar the inner free edge of the spring-plate is deflected toward the hame and by reason of its resiliency presses the trace-loop firmly against the staple-bar, thus effectually holding the loop from rattling and from accidental disengagement. The spring-plate is opposite to all of the openings 6 in the staple-web and engages with the tongues of the trace-loop with equal pressure, no matter in which of the holes the loop is engaged, and firmly holds the loop.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of a hame, an elongated staple secured thereto and arranged with its bar lengthwise of the hame, an elongated spring-plate arranged lengthwise 0f the staple between the latter and the hame, said springplate being secured at one of its longitudinal edges and arranged with its opposite longitudinal edge near the bar of the staple and substantially parallel thereto, and a trace connection adjustably engaging the bar of the staple and bearing against the free edge of said spring-plate, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a hame, an elongated staple which is secured thereto and which is provided with a web having an upright series of openings and outside of said openings with a bar extending lengthwise of the hame, an elongated spring-plate arranged lengthwise of the staple between the latter and the hame, said spring-plate being secured at one of its longitudinal edges and arranged with its opposite longitudinal edge near the bar of the staple and substantially parallel thereto, and a trace connection adj ustably engaging the bar of the staple and the openings in the web and bearing against the free edge of the springplate, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 2d day of April, 1902.

CHARLES L. WIEDRICH.

Witnesses:

JNO. J. BONNER, C. B. HORNBECK. 

